BASEBALL: Norristown High coach Elsier resigns

WEST NORRITON — In 2011, Vince Elsier returned to Norristown Area High School with the intention of building a lasting baseball program. Elsier, who always brought a fiery attitude to the job, was excited to bring stability to the program where he and his brother had played.

But, as of last Monday, Elsier has handed in his resignation as varsity baseball coach at Norristown due to his dissatisfaction of player involvement in the offseason.

“I resigned due to lack of commitment from returning players and newcomers,” Elsier said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I set up offseason workouts, I had 49 boys that signed up and I averaged eight to nine kids per workout.”

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Elsier, 50, who co-owns the Diamond Baseball Academy in Upper Merion and runs the 2013 Perky League champion Norristown Diamonds, hired a trainer and offered the academy’s facility to Eagles’ players for non-mandatory offseason activities.

“To own a facility and to have the kids come in for baseball workouts, you’d think they’d take full advantage of it,” Elsier said. “Those workouts create a team atmosphere, they missed out on that, but I wish them luck.”

Returning from a stint living in Florida two years ago where he was a scout for the Baltimore Orioles organization, Elsier had “no thoughts of coaching a high school team,” but was attracted to the possibility of building a program at Norristown, his alma mater. But, from the first year where he said the numbers of players participating in the non-mandatory workouts were strong, a 30-to-40 percent commitment, the numbers have dwindled.

The idea in returning to Norristown High School was to build a program that would foster the youth and bring varsity-level talent to the team every year.

“I can build a team every year, but not a program with this kind of participation,” Elsier said.

He mentioned that despite the revolving door in the athletic director position since the passing of Chuck Knowles, who hired Elsier as the baseball manager, he had no qualms with the administration.

“I always did my own thing and always had the support of the administration,” Elsier said. “After he had passed, they never missed a beat.”

Elsier previously coached the Souderton High School baseball from 1997 to 2005, where he won three Suburban One titles. Currently acting as the manager for the Norristown Diamonds Perky League club as well as the coaching the youth all-star team at the Diamond Baseball Academy, Elsier said he has more than enough to keep him busy.

“I’m going to miss coaching the kids,” Elsier said. “But, I will certainly still help them if they want my help.”